"...and when I see the ten, I think of the 10 thousand different usernames that have been used by Lark Mewis....
....and when I see the Ace, I think of the single post it usually takes before everyone has figured out it's him....'

"... and when I see the nine of spades, it reminds me of the nine circles of Hell ...."

I do a cutting to the aces routine where I lead-in with a quick recitation of the Soldier's Prayer book. However, when they cut the deck into three piles, they get 666. I cross myself and run. (I think this is a Steve Bryant idea from his book Little book of Numbers)

Dustin Stinett wrote:I suppose everyone is welcome to presume what is in this young mans mind and heart. But there is another possibility: That he is sincere in his beliefs.

Regardless of his beliefs, he has achieved something truly remarkable. By taking two simple ideas, one old and one new (his own), he has blended them together and regardless how cheesy, the ending does touch a nerve. And the truly remarkable thing is that within a few days he has achieved well over a million views.

I suspect this will be picked up by network TV and I hope he has figured out how to capitalize on the publicity.

Dustin Stinett wrote:But there is another possibility: That he is sincere in his beliefs.

That's one of the essential key elements in a "pekoral" (pek&#650;&#712;r&#593;&#720;l):
...work characterized by the unintended comical effect arising from the contrast between the author's naive banality and his sincere but failed efforts to mimic a solemn, ceremonial or formal style.

Edit: Is there a reason that this page is using "charset=iso-8859-1" instead of "charset=utf-8" ?

Last edited by Tom Stone on 03/14/12 06:05 PM, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:Why not use utf-8?

The almanac and prayer-book alibi, in conjunction with a deck of cards goes back further to at least the 18th century. English Conjurer Charles Bertram provides a facsimile of a pamphlet, giving an account of the story in his book Isnt It Wonderful, published in London in 1899.

Bertram prefaces the broadside pamphlet to his readers in this way:

Mention may be made of a curious explanation given by a servant to his master, when suspected of indulging in the pernicious vice of gambling, and who upon being interrogated, explained the novel use he made of a pack off cards which was found in his possession. I have taken the account from a very old publication, and will better explain the ingenious interpretation placed upon the values of the cards by the artful servant, I have presented to my readers, a facsimile reproduction of the original pamphlet, and trust it will prove interest (Bertram 170-171).